Up to present, various compounds have been synthesized and widely used in the industrial field as a polyol-ether compound having a plurality of hydroxyl groups and an ether bond in combination in a molecule. Among these, di-trimethylolpropane, di-pentaerythritol and the like are known as a compound having at least three primary hydroxyl groups and an ether bond in combination. The demand for these compounds has recently increased and thus they are important compounds.
Not many methods for producing a polyol-ether compound having at least three hydroxyl groups and an ether bond in combination are disclosed in prior art documents. One of the methods is disclosed in Examples of Patent Document 1. In Example 7 of Patent Document 1, a method for obtaining neopentylglycol-trimethylolpropane ether from a condensation reaction between trimethylolpropane oxetane and neopentylglycol through open-ring reaction of trimethylolpropane oxetane is disclosed as the method for producing a polyol-ether compound. Patent Document 2 discloses (1) that an aliphatic polyalcohol is susceptible to hydrogenolysis in the presence of a specific hydrogenation catalyst and (2) that a terminal primary hydroxyl group is susceptible to hydrogenolysis.